Colorado dental hygienist CE requirements at a glance
If you hold a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) license in Colorado, continuing education is a mandatory part of keeping your license active. Here is a quick summary of what is required before we go into the details.
- Total CE hours required: 30 hours per 2-year renewal cycle
- Mandatory topic: 2 hours of infection control
- Renewal cycle: Every 2 years, expiring on your birthday month
- Licensing body: Colorado Dental Board, under DORA
- CE record retention: Minimum 4 years
- Accepted providers: ADA CERP or AGD PACE approved
Who regulates dental hygienist CE in Colorado?
Dental hygienist licensing in Colorado falls under the Colorado Dental Board, which is part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). The Board sets the CE requirements for hygienists, processes license renewals, and conducts random audits to verify compliance.
Colorado hygienists renew their licenses through the DORA online licensing portal. If you have specific questions about your CE obligations or renewal status, the Colorado Dental Board is the authoritative source. You can find contact information and renewal guidance by searching for the Colorado Dental Board on the DORA website.
How many CE hours do Colorado hygienists need?
Colorado dental hygienists must complete 30 hours of continuing education every 2 years. This matches the requirement for dentists in Colorado, which is higher than many other states that require only 12 to 20 hours for hygienists.
Of those 30 hours:
- 2 hours must cover infection control, specifically addressing OSHA bloodborne pathogen standards and infection prevention protocols relevant to the dental setting
- The remaining 28 hours are elective, meaning you choose topics that are most relevant to your clinical practice, career goals, or areas where you want to grow
There is no minimum number of hours you must complete per year. You could technically complete all 30 hours in the final weeks of your cycle, though spreading your CE throughout the 2-year period is far less stressful and more beneficial clinically.
What topics can Colorado hygienists choose for elective CE?
Colorado gives hygienists a lot of flexibility when it comes to elective CE topics. Broadly speaking, any course that is clinically relevant to dental hygiene practice and offered by an ADA CERP or AGD PACE approved provider will qualify. Popular elective topics among Colorado hygienists include:
- Periodontal therapy and soft tissue management
- Guided Biofilm Therapy and modern hygiene protocols
- Dental radiography and imaging updates
- Local anesthesia administration
- Oral cancer screening and early detection
- Caries risk assessment and prevention
- Patient communication and case acceptance
- Practice management and team systems
- Dental sleep medicine basics
- Orofacial pain and TMD for hygienists
Choosing topics that directly improve your clinical skills or expand your scope of practice is the best way to make your CE hours count beyond just fulfilling a requirement.
What CE formats are accepted in Colorado?
Colorado accepts CE in a variety of formats, provided the course is offered by an accredited provider. Accepted formats include:
- In-person seminars, workshops, and conferences
- Live webinars with verifiable attendance
- On-demand online courses from accredited providers
- Hands-on clinical skills workshops
- University and dental school programs
- Journal-based CE with assessments
- Study clubs with structured, documented curricula
The key requirement is that the provider must hold ADA CERP or AGD PACE accreditation. If a course does not carry one of these credentials, it will not count toward your Colorado renewal requirement regardless of the subject matter or time invested.
How CPS helps Colorado hygienists meet their CE requirement
The Colorado Prosthodontic Society welcomes dental hygienists as members and offers a full calendar of AGD PACE approved CE events throughout the year. CPS events are not exclusively for dentists. Hygienists who attend CPS seminars earn the same AGD CE credits as dentist attendees, and those credits count directly toward the Colorado Dental Board renewal requirement.
Here is what a CPS membership gives Colorado hygienists:
- Full-day seminars: Each CPS all-day educational event awards 6 AGD CE credits. Attending 5 seminars in a season covers the full 30-hour Colorado requirement
- Elevate events: 2-hour evening networking events that award 2 CE credits each, perfect for busy hygienists with limited availability during the day
- Clinical relevance: CPS speakers include nationally recognized educators in periodontics, restorative dentistry, occlusion, digital workflows, and more topics directly applicable to hygiene practice
- No travel required: All CPS events are held in the Denver metro area
- Affordable membership: CPS membership starts at 00 per year for early career dental professionals, making it the most cost-effective CE option in Colorado
How much does dental hygienist CE cost in Colorado?
The cost of CE varies widely depending on the provider and format. Here is a general breakdown of what Colorado hygienists can expect to pay:
- Individual online courses: 0 to 50 per course, depending on the provider and number of CE credits
- Single-day in-person seminars: 50 to 00 per event
- Annual dental society membership (CPS): 00 to 00 per year depending on career stage, covering unlimited access to all CPS CE events
- State dental association membership: Varies, typically 00 to 00 per year with CE benefits included
For hygienists who need 30 hours every 2 years, individual course purchases can add up quickly. A CPS membership is typically the most cost-effective path to fulfilling the full requirement, particularly for hygienists who prefer in-person learning environments.
Colorado hygienist license renewal process
Colorado dental hygienist licenses renew every 2 years on the licensee’s birthday month. DORA sends renewal reminders to the email address on file, so keeping your contact information current is important.
To renew your Colorado hygienist license:
- Log in to the DORA online licensing portal using your license credentials
- Complete the CE attestation, certifying that you have completed 30 hours including the 2-hour infection control requirement
- Pay the renewal fee (currently 0 for dental hygienists, subject to change)
- Retain all CE certificates for at least 4 years after your renewal date
Colorado uses an honor system for CE verification. You do not submit certificates at renewal, but you must be able to produce them if audited. The Colorado Dental Board does conduct random audits, and failure to provide documentation can result in fines or license suspension.
What to do if your Colorado hygienist license lapses
If you miss your renewal deadline, your license will lapse. You can still reinstate a lapsed license without retaking board exams, but you will need to pay a reinstatement fee on top of the standard renewal fee and certify completion of all required CE. Contact the Colorado Dental Board as soon as possible if your license has lapsed to begin the reinstatement process.
Practicing as a dental hygienist in Colorado with a lapsed license is a violation of state law and can result in disciplinary action from the Board.
Frequently asked questions about Colorado hygienist CE
Do Colorado hygienist CE hours carry over to the next renewal cycle?
No. Colorado does not allow CE hours to carry over between renewal cycles. All 30 hours must be completed within the current 2-year period.
Can Colorado hygienists take all their CE hours online?
Yes. Colorado accepts online CE from ADA CERP or AGD PACE approved providers. There is no requirement for in-person or hands-on hours, though many hygienists find in-person events more engaging and clinically valuable.
Do CPS events count toward Colorado hygienist CE requirements?
Yes. CPS seminars and Elevate events are AGD PACE approved. Credits earned at CPS events count directly toward the Colorado Dental Board renewal requirement for dental hygienists.
Can employer-sponsored training count toward my Colorado CE requirement?
Yes, provided the training is offered by an ADA CERP or AGD PACE approved provider and documentation of completion is available. In-house training that is not offered through an accredited provider will not count toward your renewal requirement.
How do I know if a CE provider is approved in Colorado?
Check whether the provider holds ADA CERP or AGD PACE accreditation. Both organizations maintain searchable online directories of approved providers. If a provider does not clearly display one of these credentials, contact them directly to confirm their accreditation status before registering.
I am a new hygienist in Colorado. Is there anything extra I need to do?
New Colorado hygienist licensees should complete a one-time Colorado jurisprudence review covering the Colorado Dental Practice Act and the rules of the Colorado Dental Board. Check with the Board directly for the most current requirements for new licensees, as these can change.
What is the infection control requirement for Colorado hygienists?
Colorado hygienists must complete at least 2 hours of CE covering infection control at every renewal cycle. The course must address OSHA bloodborne pathogen standards and infection prevention protocols as they apply to the dental setting. This requirement cannot be waived or substituted with other topic areas.
